Timeless
by linniestorm
Summary: Buffy meets a face from the past, and tries to discover the source of her power.


**[ Timeless ]**

TITLE: Timeless  
AUTHOR: Lindsay Ince (chicago_heat@hotmail.com)  
DISCLAIMER: All hail Joss the Great and Buffy the Impaler. Not mine, never will be.  
ARCHIVE: http://www.stas.net/blurred  
DISTRIBUTION: Ask, and ye shall receive.  
SPOILERS: BTVS Season 4: Restless  
RATING: G  
SUMMARY: Buffy meets a face from the past, and tries to discover the source of her power.  
DEDICATION: Rune, for her beta-ing.  
AUTHORS NOTES: Improv #3: ash-feather-infinite-perception.  
FEEDBACK: Unless you really want to meet Buffy on a dark alley late at night, it can be arranged

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Her eyes followed the grace of the feather as it fluttered and was caught by the gentle pull of the wind. It was so beautiful, so graceful, so fragile. Despite its appearance of softness and fragility it had incredible strength. It was ironic, that so much strength could be contained in such a small, vulnerable looking shell. It was a paradox, a freak of nature, something inexplicable that could be studied by scientists for millennia and a conclusion might never be reached. A bit like her, she thought with a wry smile.

Her eyes reached the root of the feather. It joined many others, all of them in bright, startling colours. A rainbow of colour formed a halo around the head of the individual in front of her. They stood, facing each other, an air of confrontation around them. The figure in front of her had wild, brown eyes and a shock of black hair. She wore ritualistic markings and skins all over her body. She stepped forward, soundly, solidly, and raised her palms in front of her face. With her fingertips The Other made firm markings on her face with the ash and stepped back. She didn't speak, but a voice suddenly appeared in her head. It didn't surprise her, instead it was oddly comforting, soothing.

"You have returned," The First began.

"Yeah, looking for an insight, you know? It'd be ice to have your perception, you being the first slayer and all." Buffy detected the nervousness in her own voice.

"You have the wisdom all slayers possess. There is no more to tell."

"What about where it came from? The power, the skill, the ability. Who gave them to us? Who decides who is the Chosen One? What if someone refuses? What if someone turns on their sacred duty?"

It was questions like these that immediately brought up issues like Faith. They were questions that Buffy couldn't answer alone, and didn't have the resources to find out for herself.

The First was silent. She seemed entirely unmoved by the present slayers questions. She didn't seem to understand her curiosity, or her urge to know why she didn't simply accept the inexplicable and carry out her duty uninformed. There was silence for a moment and though they stood in a desert, Buffy heard water and waves crashing, fires crackling in a forest and the wind gushing through the leaves of the trees. In an instant the sounds and the sensations were gone. A distant memory, a tingling down her spine were all that reminded her she'd ever felt it. It left hardly a trace, and she still wasn't sure it wasn't just her imagination.

The First walked over to her once again and the disembodied voice began. She sounded slightly irritated, giving her explanation in a tired voice. It reminded Buffy of Giles and his The Chosen One' speech. 

"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone must fight the vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. She is the slayer. The slayers power is timeless, the evil infinite, as the good. There is always a balance and the balance must prevail. That is our sacred duty."

Buffy sighed, "Well, that was informative on an epic scale."

The First stepped away. She began to circle the slayer as she had the first time they had met. Buffy turned as she moved, always facing her, taking up a battle stance. They circled each other for a few moments. The Other quickly moved a step forward and Buffy lunged for her. But The Other had stopped and was in the best position to defend against attack. She sent a winding blow to Buffy's ribcage and Buffy gasped as she staggered back. However, her slayer strength allowed her to recover quickly and she came back fighting. They sparred back and forth for a while until both were out of breath. 

The First was powerful, strong and ably skilled, just as Buffy was. In many ways, it was the most well-matched fight of her life. No vampire or demon of any type had ever challenged her in that way before. Her skills were tested to the limit every second. Yet, she never felt in danger. She fought tooth and nail but it felt more like the ultimate test. Like The First was testing her worthiness to fill her place. She almost sensed envy on the part of her predecessor. A jealousy that she could no longer undertake the duties of the slayer. An unwillingness to recognise her time had passed.

They both eventually stopped, both panting, both almost out of breath. They stepped back simultaneously, re-establishing the distance that had existed between them. The distance seemed less now. As though their fight had somehow broken down the barrier of time and style that they stood either side of and made them realise the fundamental similarities between them. She heard the voice again, from the unmoving lips of The First.

"You have much to learn, Slayer."

"Maybe that's why I'm here," she retorted.

"You will not learn anything in this place," she said. "My role is not to teach, I can only act as a guide now."

"Then where will I learn?" she asked.

"Everywhere," she replied. "The power lies in good, in people and in nature. Only here will you find the answers you seek. In the hearts of those around you."

Buffy opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She felt oddly refreshed after such an eventful dream. Looking over towards Willow, who was still sound asleep in the bed next to her she turned on her other side and looked at he radio alarm. It was just before dawn. She was restless and climbed out of bed. Pulling on jogging pants and a sweater she walked to a hill just behind the campus and sat down to watch the sunrise. The darkness was replaced by a pure light that bathed the land as far as the eye could see. Buffy watched it silently and thought. _The power lies in good, in people and in nature.' _The view from the hill embodied The First's words. Her friends embodied them. Their struggle embodied them. The First had been right. She drew her power from all around her. She didn't need cryptic dreams, she only needed to understand herself and her environment. The First had been right. In that sense, the power of the Chosen One was timeless.


End file.
